Jonathan Edwards's fiercest rival has pleaded with the Gateshead athlete not to retire from the sport before next summer's Olympic Games in Greece.

The emergence of Sweden's Christian Olsson in the triple jump has been a major factor in the decision of Edwards to continue in a sport he has dominated for almost a decade.

The pair's rivalry is one of the most fascinating in world athletics, with Olsson, 13 years Edwards's junior, the prince of the discipline doing all he can to depose its king.

Edwards is the greatest triple jumper of all-time, but while he could easily have walked away from the sport after completing a clean sweep of the major's with gold in last year's Commonwealth games in Manchester, his competitive edge has been sharpened by Olsson's challenge for his throne.

But yesterday the Swede, speaking ahead of tomorrow's Norwich Union Super League meeting at Gateshead International Stadium, revealed how he would lose some of the excitement of competition when the 36-year-old does eventually call time on his glittering career.

He said: "I don't want Jonathan to retire, far from it. I want him to carry on jumping for as long as he can, certainly until the Olympics next summer. I want him to jump on and on.

"I will be going up against him for the first time this season on Sunday and that excites me. It is only when he is in the field that I can really push myself.

"When I'm jumping against him, just seeing him on the track gives me that extra motivation you need. My best results come when he is in the same competition.

"He has said it is the same for him as well. One of the reasons he has decided to continue after achieving so much is because he has a rival to give him that extra motivation as well. It is a friendly one, but we both want to win and that is what you want as an athlete. He has taught me a lot."

Tomorrow could mark the last ever competitive appearance of Edwards in what has become his adopted home and emotions will undoubtedly be running high in and around the jumping pit.

Olsson is the current European champion and World Indoor Champion, but Edwards's record against him last season was still marginally better. Yet, while Olsson would have no qualms about beating Edwards in what could be his North-East swan song, he admits it was his rival who first attracted him to the sport when he witnessed his world record leap of 18m 29cm in 1995.

He explained: "I was a programme seller in the Gothenburg stadium when Jonathan broke the world record. It was an incredible thing to witness.

"We knew something exciting could happen and it did. It was an inspiration for me. At that time, Jonathan was a class above. He just needed to make one jump in a competition to win."

There are still around 800 tickets available for tomorrow's meeting. Call (0191) 478-5555 for more information. The action gets underway at 5pm.